A significant development in a long-standing murder case has taken place with the announcement that new DNA samples will be taken from Michael Stone, a man currently serving three life prison sentences for the murders of a mother and daughter in Chillenden, Kent, 30 years ago.
The bodies of Dr Lin Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter Megan were found on 9 July 1996. The pair were brutally attacked as they walked along a country lane, bound, blindfolded, and bludgeoned with a claw hammer. Their nine-year-old daughter Josie, who was left for dead with severe head injuries, survived the attack and has since spoken publicly about her ordeal.
The decision to re-examine the DNA evidence comes after serial killer Levi Bellfield reportedly confessed to the crimes. Bellfield, who is currently in prison for the murders of Milly Dowler and two other women, is believed to have made the confession while serving his sentence.
Michael Stone's solicitor, Paul Bacon, expressed hope that the re-examination of the DNA evidence will eventually lead to the real culprit being found and for Stone to regain his freedom after 30 years of incarceration. However, former Metropolitan Police officer Colin Sutton has cast doubt on Bellfield's involvement in the murders, suggesting that he may have fabricated the story while in prison with Stone.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is conducting an ongoing review of the case, exploring all possibilities that the application raises to determine whether Stone may have suffered a miscarriage of justice.